A Marriage Proposal Primer: 5 Essential Tips

Planning a marriage proposal? To ensure a smooth and romantic engagement, here's a definitive checklist of things to consider before popping the question.

Find the perfect location Finding the ideal venue for your marriage proposal is key. A few places to consider: on vacation, where you first met or where you had your first date. Keep in mind, if your spouse-to-be isn't huge on public displays you may want to steer clear of Jumbotrons and public spaces that receive a lot of foot traffic.

Pick a date Once you've got your venue in mind select a date for your marriage proposal. If the element of surprise is key, you may want to avoid popular engagement dates like Valentine's Day, Christmas or your significant other's birthday.

Ask the family If your mate is super-traditional, you'll definitely want to ask for her dad or a family member for her hand in marriage.

Find the ring and hide the bling Finding the right engagement ring can take months. Don't stress. Sift through her jewellery box to get an idea of her ring size and style or ask her friends about what sort of rings she's had her eye on. Once you've found the perfect rock, be sure to find a good hiding place–somewhere she'll least suspect.

Come up with the right words While a heartfelt marriage proposal is always best, try and outline what you want to say beforehand. Recall the reasons you want to spend the rest of your life with her and the moments that helped you realize she was the one. Get down on one knee for tradition's sake and, remember, don't forget to actually ask her to marry you.